What We Offer
Our school offers comprehensive training for students desiring to attain a high degree of skillfulness in their desired area. We believe in a synergistic approach, using the three main areas of learning: Visual, Aural, and Kinesthetic (i.e. seeing, hearing, and doing). We believe learning music can be fun, along with the obvious discipline it requires for success. Our job, as teachers, is to meet the student at their entry level, and design what works best for them on an individualized basis.
Following are areas we offer.
Piano
We have decades of piano teaching experience, using Alfred’s Basic Piano Library curriculum, working with students, teaching theory, as applied to the pieces they are working on. Scales and exercises are learned to help the students acquire fluidity in their approach to the instrument. Supplemental materials and developing an understanding of how the keyboard is laid out helps the students have a solid foundation to be able to both read music notation, as well as to improvise and compose.
Violin
We offer a rich tradition in the Franco-Belgian school of violin playing, which Ivan Galamian coalesced. Other notable Juilliard teachers that refined this tradition were Dorothy Delay and Simon Fischer. Scales, etudes, and repertoire, from Bach to Bartok are encouraged, explained, and demonstrated, along with the unique Galamian approach to bow technique. Providing the students with the opportunity to play in ensembles, from duets to trios, quartets and string ensembles augments their experience of music making.
Viola
The larger cousin to the violin shares many of the same methodologies, and enjoys a deeper, more mellow sound. Participation in string ensembles is unique to the viola, as many well-known composers studied the instrument, learning the inner voices of the compositions. Jean Sibelius, Edward Elgar, and Paul Hindemith are examples of this.
Cello
The cello instruction follows closely, the Juilliard approach to playing the instrument, boasting a rich and rewarding repertoire of favorites, like The Swan (Camille Saint-Saens), and the Elegie (Gabriel Faure). The cello rounds out the lower range of the string ensemble, providing stability and tonal clarity for the groups.
Guitar
We offer a basic knowledge of guitar chording, scales, learning to read chord-charts, and understanding chord theory. Instructors are experienced in strum patterns and applied style-adaptation. Along with quickly applied playing, the student will also learn to read rhythms and understand various chord-notation.
Drums
The student will learn proper handling of sticks, rudiments, and how to read rhythms. Training in the application of a repertoire of patterns, applicable to a variety of styles will get the student up and running quickly. Teaching how to play ‘in the pocket,’ as well as maintaining a steady beat while doing riffs and hits, will bring the student to applicable skills that can be used in many different ensembles and groups.
Vocal
Our vocal instructors provide basic vocal understanding, teaching the student how to properly produce a beautiful tone with confidence. They will include basic theory, sight-reading, and ear-training, to help the student sing effortlessly and able to perform their most-loved songs.
Song-writing
With a deep background in song-writing and creativity, we are well-equipped to help the student step out in their own creativity, a we teach song-structure, lyric writing, rhythmic structure, harmony, arranging, and preparation for recording. The student will be amazed at how quickly their ideas will come to light.
Music Production
Technology has become easier to navigate, giving the aspiring student the opportunity to bring fresh, innovative ideas into reality. Coupled with training in song-writing, the student will gain an understanding as to how to use a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), soft-synths, effects plugins, and more.
Music Notation
If you want to share your music with a band, or have a desire to arrange a creative song with other instruments, like a string section or brass section, learning how to put your creativity down in visual form goes a long way in gaining others’ involvement. Students will learn how to use Dorico software, so they can have the creative edge on composition.
Using Performance Tracks
If you are interested in taking your studio creations onto the stage, Ableton Live is the best solution to do so. The software is recognized industry-wide for being the best live-performance software available. The student will learn the basics of the software platform, gaining insight into how to build their library in a way that can be easily organized and leveraged for live-performance.
Composition/Arranging
Each student is unique in their approach to creativity, and deserves to have individual attention in the development of their ideas. With a rich background in composition, their instructor will leverage a wide range of historical examples, demonstrated audio, and techniques for releasing creativity for the students musical vision.
Every student is entirely unique in their goals and aspirations. There is not one ‘cookie-cutter’ way to teach, and there is no perfect system to train from. However, there are tools, many of which are ancient in the art of making music. As teachers, we endeavor to provide the student with these basic tools, in order to pursue their dreams as musicians, performers, and creators.
It may be that a student has a desire to learn the violin and also wants to learn song-writing. Or, the student may have a desire to learn the drums and electronic music production. A varied approach to each student, based on their passions and desires, is ultimately the best approach.
What makes our school different is that we offer a wide range of training, along with deep and active experience as musicians and artists. We don’t just teach; we actively use what we are teaching ourselves. We give the students the opportunity to play in ensembles, giving them a sense of community, while participating along with them.
Our school does not simply focus on performance, but on the tools needed to ultimately become authentic individual creators. Creativity is encouraged as the end goal for all training.
Finally, our teachers have a caring heart, to help each student realize their goals and dreams.